Russia — India: Open Workshop on Power Industry

On 5–8 December 2017, Izolyator representatives held several important meetings and gave an open workshop on power industry in India.

The power sector of India is one the most dynamically growing in the world, for instance, in respect to construction of backbone power lines. The long history of relations between our countries in power industry since the Soviet Union times, successful development of dialogue between FGC UES and PowerGrid as well as Izolyator’s expansion on the market of India helped to keep experience sharing between the power grid and manufacturing companies of the friendly states.

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PowerGrid) is an India-based state company engaged in construction, operation and maintenance of inter-state transmission system (ISTS). The company’s core business is transmission of bulk power across the states of India. The Company owns and operates transmission network of about 106.804 Ckm of Extra High Voltage (EHV) transmission lines, 184 EHVAC & High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Substations and 205 923 MVA transformer capacity.

Federal Grid Company is the operator and manager of Russia’s unified electricity transmission grid system, including high voltage transmission lines, and holds the status of a natural monopoly. The Company’s assets include more than 139,000 km of transmission lines and 924 substations with more than 332 GVA of 35–750 kV transformer capacity. Based on the length of transmission lines and installed transformer capacity, Federal Grid is the largest publicly traded electricity transmission company in the world. Federal Grid’s business is to provide electricity transmission and technological connection services. It maintains and develops the grid system and supervises grid facilities and infrastructure in 77 Russian regions, covering a territory of 15.1 million square kilometres. Its customers are regional distribution companies, electricity suppliers and large industrial enterprises. The Company is a natural monopoly with 80.13% stake controlled by Russian Grids.

The workshop was dedicated to experience sharing between the state companies, working in electric energy generation, transmission and distribution as well as between Indian and Russian manufacturers of high-voltage equipment for power transmission (Program of the workshop, PDF).

India and Russia are actively engaged in CIGRE activities, making it a major factor of cooperation development. The management of PowerGrid heads the Indian National Committee of CIGRE. Izolyator, as a leading science and technology partner to the Russian National Committee of CIGRE, used every effort to organize a meeting of FGC UES management with the leaders of the Indian National Committee of CIGRE and members of study committees during their business trip to India.

The Russian delegation included:

• Ivan Panfilov, Commercial Director, Izolyator;
• Andrey Shornikov, Head of International Business Development dept., Izolyator;
• Dr. Ashok Singh, Partner of Izolyator in India.

Business meetings in PowerGrid

On 6 December 2017, Izolyator representatives had business meetings with the management of the Indian state power corporation Power Grid Corporation of India Limited with participation of the Deputy of Innovative Development Dpt of FGC UES PJSC Kirill Lunin.

Meeting with the President and members of the Board of PowerGrid

The Indian side:

• I. S. Jha, Chairman & Managing Director of PowerGrid, President of the National Committee of CIGRE;
• Anish Anand, General Manager (Engineering–TL), PowerGrid;
• S. K. Mishra, Executive Director, PowerGrid;
• R. K. Arora, Executive Director, PowerGrid;
• R. G. Kushwaha, General Manager, PowerGrid;
• Kailash Rathore, General Manager (Engg.–S/S), PowerGrid;
• Sandeep Prakash Sharma, Executive Director, Mehru Electrical & Mechanical Engineers;
• Binod Thakur, Managing Director, Shyama Power.

After making introductions, the sides had an open discussion about development of every company and power industry in general.

I. S. Jha began discussion with Izolyator representatives, inviting the persons in charge of high-voltage bushings to join the discussion, and expressed a keen interest in the continued Izolyator activities.

The consent to have a bilateral meeting and mutual interest of the sides can be considered as the result of the meeting. The relations between the companies are making a solid foundation for the development of the dialogue between the two countries.

Under the instruction and on behalf of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of FGC UES PJSC Andrey Murov, Kirill Lunin delivered to I. S. Jha an official letter with a proposal to arrange meetings between the companies to develop cooperation.

Meeting of FGC UES and Izolyator representatives with the Chairman and board members of PowerGrid

Meeting with Director (Operations)

From the Indian side — R. P. Sasmal, Director (Operations) at PowerGrid, technical Co-chairman of the Indian National Committee of CIGRE and national Representative in CIGRE on direct current and power electronics.

The topics, discussed at the meeting, included working issues of India and Russia’s activities in CIGRE and development of direct partner coordination and within CIGRE.

Both sides showed keen interest in continued cooperation.

R. P. Sasmal appointed R. K. Tyagi, Additional Director of Asset Management responsible for developing the dialogue and working meetings organization if required.

Meeting at PowerGrid, L-R: R. P. Sasmal, Kirill Lunin and Ivan Panfilov

Meeting with Additional Director of Asset Management

From the Indian side — R. K. Tyagi, Additional Director of Asset Management at PowerGrid, Chairman at A3 Study committee of the Indian national committee of CIGRE.

At the meeting, the sides discussed: general issues of power industries of both countries, work-related issues of PowerGrid and FGC UES coordination in experience sharing and experience sharing within CIGRE organization in particular.

Both sides expressed interest in dialogue expansion.

Meeting at PowerGrid, L-R: Ivan PAnfilov, R. K. Tyagi, Ashok Singh and Kirill Lunin

Meeting with General Manager (Engg.-S/S)

From the Indian side — Kailash Rathore, General Manager (Engg.-S/S) at PowerGrid.

At the meeting, the sides discussed common issues related to the power sectors and power transmission systems of the countries and work-related issues of PowerGrid and FGC UES coordination in experience sharing and and, specifically, experience sharing within CIGRE organization.

Both sides expressed interest in dialogue expansion.

Meeting at PowerGrid, L-R: Kailash Rathore, Ivan Panfilov, Kirill Lunin and Ashok Singh

Meeting with Deputy General Manager (Engg.-S/S)

From the Indian side — Vikram Singh Bhal, Dpty General Manager (Engg. -S/S) at PowerGrid.

At the meeting, the sides discussed common issues related to the power sectors and power transmission systems of the countries and work-related issues of PowerGrid and FGC UES coordination in experience sharing and and experience sharing within CIGRE organization and FGC UES’s positive experience in Izolyator RIP bushings application.

Both sides expressed interest in dialogue expansion.

Vikram Singh Bhal (L) and Kirill Lunin at PowerGrid

Meeting with the deputies of General Manager (Construction and Engineering)

From the Indian side — A. K. Handa, Deputy General Manager (Construction) and Pankaj K. Das, Deputy General Manager (Engineering)

At the meeting, the sides discussed common issues related to the power sectors and power transmission systems of the countries and work-related issues of PowerGrid and FGC UES coordination in experience sharing and and experience sharing within CIGRE organization and FGC UES’s positive experience in Izolyator RIP bushings application.

Both sides expressed interest in dialogue expansion.

Meeting at PowerGrid, L-R: Ashok Singh, A. K. Handa, Pankaj K. Das and Kirill Lunin

Meeting with General Manager (Engineering.-TL)

From the Indian side — Anish Anands, General Manager (Engineering.-TL) at PowerGrid.

At the meeting, the sides discussed common issues related to the power sectors and power transmission systems of the countries and work-related issues of PowerGrid and FGC UES coordination in experience sharing and and experience sharing within CIGRE organization and FGC UES’s positive experience in Izolyator RIP bushings application.

Both sides expressed interest in dialogue expansion.

Meeting at PowerGrid, L-R: Anish Anand, Kirill Lunin, Ivan Panfilov and Ashok Singh

Outcomes of the meetings

All meetings were a success.

During the meetings, all PowerGrid executives were open and positive.

PowerGrid is developing rapidly and within 5 years it will leave FGC UES behind in terms of power lines outstretch.

PowerGrid concentrates on high-voltage power lines up to 800 kV and develops DC lines.

PowerGrid is very much interested in continued cooperation with FGC UES and manufacturing companies of Russia.

Russia-India Open Workshop on Power Industry

On 8 December 2017, an open Russia-India workshop on power industry was held in Gurgaon in India.

At the invitation of Izolyator, FGC UES PJSC took part in the workshop.

Russia – India workshop on power industry, L-R: Andrey Shornikov, Kirill Lunin and Ivan Panfilov

Registration of participants of Russia – India Workshop on power industry

Russian manufacturers of high-voltage equipment were represented by Izolyator, the leading science and technology partner to the Russian national committee of CIGRRE, and Uncomtech Trading, a leading manufacturer of cabling products in Russia.

Ivan Panfilov, Commercial Director of Izolyator is giving a welcome speech and report on company achievements

Andrey Shornikov is making a report on technical service and operation of Izolyator RIP bushings

D. Egorov, Deputy Director of Export Department at Uncomtech trading is making a report

The Indian side was represented by the state power corporation Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PowerGrid) in the person of R. P. Sasmal, Director/ Operations. Sanjay Srivastava, Chief Engineer / HE&RM of the Energy Ministry of India and representatives of the leading Indian industrial companies CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited, TBEA Energy (India) Private Limited, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Transformers & Rectifiers (India) Ltd., Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., Mehru Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (P) Ltd., CTR Manufacturing India Ltd., Prime Meiden were also present at the workshop.

There workshop gathered more than 80 visitors altogether.

The audience of the Russia — India open workshop on power industry

The distinctive feature of the workshop was an informal atmosphere and networking of participants on the sidelines of the event, facilitating an open dialogue development and business ties set up.

Informal networking on the sidelines of the workshop

The workshop reached all objectives and tasks:

• continuation of FGC UES and PowerGrid dialogue;
• the first presentation of Uncomtech trading;
• informing clients of PowerGrid and transformer plants of India about the necessity of replacement of OIP HV bushings with service life exceeding 25 years;
• detailed account of operations at installation and operation of Izolyator RIP bushings with description of possible mistakes.

It is necessary to carry on with the workshop practice inviting as many representatives of the Indian transformer plants as possible on a regular basis.

In the result of the workshop, the sides confirmed mutual intention to continue relations and organize another meeting of the Chairmen of the Boards of Directors of the power grid companies of the two countries no later than the second quarter of 2018.

Upon completion of the business part, the organizers gave the Indian partners certificates, thank-you bouquets and corporate giftware.

Giving special certificates to the Indian partners of Izolyator S

Special certificates were given to these important Indian partners of Izolyator:

• letter of Recognition awarded to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited for an extraordinary and strong professional approach to implementation and development of new directions and technologies, including high-voltage RIP bushings implementation for the needs of power transmission and distribution (PDF);
• certificate of Excellence awarded to Transformers & Rectifiers (India) Ltd for the order and purchase of the most technically advanced high-voltage bushings with RIP insulation, intended for installation on power facilities of GETCO and TSTRANSCO as well as PowerGrid in 2017 (PDF);
• certificate of Achievement awarded to CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited as a strategically important and respected partner among other transformer plants of India (PDF);
• certificate of Excellence awarded to TBEA Energy (India) Pvt. Ltd. for purchase of the largest quantity of high-voltage bushings with solid RIP insulation that have the most advanced design among the supplied by Izolyator products for PowerGrid projects in 2017 (PDF);
• certificate of Achievement awarded to Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd. for the order and successful installation of high-voltage bushings with solid RIP insulation, intended for operation in the highland regions of Kashmir at the altitude of 3500 m above sea level for various PowerGrid projects in 2016 (PDF).

Awarding Thank-you bouquets to the Indian partners on behalf of Izolyator

A lot of interviews on current issues of power industry development and international cooperation were taken at the workshop.

An interview on a topical issue

A gala dinner that went in an informal, warm and friendly atmosphere concluded the workshop.

Gala dinner that concluded the Russia — India open workshop on power industry

We appreciate the organizers of the workshop for the execution of this important event on a high professional level!